The Language of Love: Must-Know Tennis Lingo

It’s good to know some tennis jargon before talking trash on the court. Don’t take your first swing of the season without brushing up on the basics.

by Sam DeHority

If you want to play tennis like a pro and trash talk like it's a college beer bong tournament without looking like a joke, you have to know the jargon. Here are some of the key words and phrases to study up on before you hit the courts.

Love: The term for “zero points.” Love may be derived from the phrase “to play for love,” or to “play without wager, for nothing.”

Ace: A serve that isn’ttouched by the returner, resulting in a point for the server.

Baseline: The farthest parallel line from the net.

Carry: When the ball rests on the racquet instead of being hit. A deliberate carry results in the loss of a point for the offending player.

Centerline: The line that runs perpendicular to the baseline.

Daisy Cutter: A shot that skids or takes a very low bounce.

Drop Shot: A soft shot that drops just over the net.

Foot Fault: Occurs when a player touches the baseline or centerline during a serve, resulting in the loss of the serve opportunity.

Jam: To hit the ball near or at your opponent’s body, causing an awkward or weak return.